Cold homes 'affect children's health' - 18/05/2011
Consumers who are in desperate need of a cheap energy supply could have their mental and physical health put at risk by living in a cold home, research has suggested.
A study by Professor Sir Michael Marmot's research team for Friends of the Earth found 1.3 million children in England are living in properties so cold that they are classed as health hazards.
Being without warmth doubles children's risk of developing respiratory problems and has an effect on teenagers' mental health.
Professor Marmot commented that the findings of the report are "distressing".
"It is unacceptable that some of our most vulnerable people are suffering in cold homes they often can't afford to heat properly - this could be avoided with the right policies," he argued.
"Upgrading this country's cold homes would be a double win - improving people's health and protecting the environment."
Meanwhile, Julian Sturdy MP has called for the Warm Front scheme to be pruned of excess bureaucracy so that those on a low income have access to heat in the cold months.
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